Mammograms can detect breast cancer with or without symptoms, and it’s a great way to screen for it when you reach your 40s or 50s. At Bellevue Medical Imaging, PLLC, in Bellevue, Washington, Brian Jacobs, MD, provides mammograms and other breast evaluations to detect breast cancer as early as possible. Call Bellevue Medical Imaging or book an appointment online for a mammogram today.
Mammograms are medical tests that screen for breast cancer. Even if you haven’t felt any lumps or abnormalities in either of your breasts, your physician might suggest getting a mammogram according to your breast cancer risk alone.
During a mammogram, you place each breast, one at a time, between two imaging plates. The plates compress and flatten your breasts, which makes it easier for the mammography unit to take detailed pictures of your breast tissue and ducts. The unit uses low-dose radiation to capture digital images.
Sometimes, ductography is part of a mammogram. With this option, Dr. Jacobs places contrast dye into the ducts of your breasts using a catheter. This makes them more prominent on the mammogram image. You might need ductography if you’ve had blood or unusual discharge from your breasts, even with an otherwise normal mammogram.
An abnormal mammogram doesn’t automatically mean you have breast cancer, it just means you need more testing. With several options available in the women’s imaging center at Bellevue Medical Imaging, Dr. Jacobs can gather more information about your breast tissue.
To find out more about your breast health, he might recommend:
Dr. Jacobs might also use computer-aided detection to analyze your imaging test results more closely and detect breast cancer in an earlier stage.
Regardless of the tests he uses, Dr. Jacobs might still determine that your breasts are in good health and that you need no further testing or treatment.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends talking to your physician around age 40 about starting mammograms if you’re a woman. Your physician can discuss the benefits and drawbacks of mammograms before 50.
After 50, you should start getting mammograms once every two years unless your physician tells you otherwise. You may also get a mammogram if a breast examination has detected signs of possible breast complications, such as a lump, pain, changes in breast size, or nipple discharge.
To schedule your next mammogram, call Bellevue Medical Imaging or book an appointment online today.